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Planning a Complete and Balanced Nutrition Meal at a Glance for Muscles

When you want to improve your health, especially increasing strength for muscle health, it takes a bit of planning. It does not have to be as complicated as a professional health enthusiast, but simple adjustments can go a long way. If you find a plan that works for you, you can get the most out a complete and balanced nutrition from food and nutrition alternatives (eg. Ensure Gold or Ensure Gold Plant-Based). With these simple steps, you can meet your daily nutrient needs to slow down muscle loss (seniors can lose up to 8% of their muscle mass every 10 years after the age of 4011).1, 8

Consider preparation time as Calories do Matter

With the help of another loved one or a Nutritionist, meal planning will take out most of the guesswork.1, 2 Remember that each meal should include 1 portion of the 5 food groups (Fruits, Vegetables, Grains, Protein Foods, and Dairy) to promote every day strength and activity. You do not have to include all in one meal. If you cannot eat all in one meal, you can plan for snacks. With planning, you can save time by pre portioning ingredients or cooking in bulk and separate by servings.

Calories do matter, even though older adults need less of it. How many calories a loved one needs depends on their body weight and health condition.6 So as long as it keeps up their energy levels (eg. foods rich in B vitamins). This is important because many seniors accept their weakness due to aging, which is not good as it can contribute to decreased mobility, weaken muscles, affect bones, heart, and bowel movements.3 For seniors, calories recommended amounts are:

  1. Sedentary lifestyle:     1,600 – 2,000 3
  2. Moderately Active:      1,800 – 2,400 3
  3. Active:                         2,000 – 2,800 3

Within those daily caloric limit, make sure a seniors diet consists of:5, 6

  1. 6 – 8 portions of grains (e.g. whole grains)2
  2. 4 – 5 servings of fruits and vegetables2
  3. 2 – 3 servings of dairy (e.g. milk)8
  4. 2 – 3 portions of vegetarian or meat protein (eg. Quinoa)2
  5. 4 – 5 servings a week of nuts, seeds, legumes (e.g. Soybeans)2
  6. 2 – 3 servings of fats (eg. olive oil, almond oil, soybean oil)2, 7

What can you do if you are having trouble eating?

One easy way to have a healthier appetite is to be physically active as it will increase caloric expenditure. If you find preparing food boring or have some mobility issues, you can always cook with a friend or join community religious facilities. Get regular dental checkups for treating any chewing issues.4 Consume plenty of liquids to aid in digestion. You can also always enjoy vegetable and fruit smoothies to get your daily vitamins and minerals that support muscle strength (eg. vitamin D, A, C, E, calcium, B vitamins, antioxidants, and fatty acids).

Complete and balanced nutritional supplements are also the other option when food alone is not enough. For example, seniors can choose Ensure Gold, No. 1 Physician Recommended Oral Nutritional Supplement in the U.S.9, for high quality proteins, HMB (β-Hydroxy β-methyl butyrate, a metabolite of amino acid leucine), and 28 vitamins and minerals (12 of which help supports immunity10). Ensure Gold is available in Vanilla, Strawberry, Coffee, Wheat and Almond flavors, a senior will not only be supported in strength, vitality, and activity, they can enjoy oral nutritional supplement deliciously. Better yet, to help seniors get nutrition on the go, Ensure Gold RTD (Ready-to-drink) is now available in Chocolate, Vanilla, and Coffee. Cannot have caffeinated coffee? You can swap it with Ensure Gold RTD coffee flavor!8

To upkeep your muscle fitness as you age, embrace planning for meals. The key things to remember for good nutrition are to eat high quality proteins, nutrient dense foods, and getting enough daily calories to help further support muscle health. If you would like to add Ensure Gold, but you do not like the taste of milk, you can choose Ensure Gold Plant-Based. With the same benefits as the regular Ensure Gold which contains HMB and high-quality plant-based protein from soy, rice, and quinoa. With either choice of Ensure Gold, you can have at least 2 servings a day (6 scoops per serving with 185ml of water) to help fill in when food alone is not enough.8

To get a sample, please visit Ensure Myanmar to sign up.

References:

  1. https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/healthy-meal-planning-tips-older-adults
  2. https://veritascare.co.uk/nutrition-for-elderly-how-to-maintain-healthy-diet-when-youre-older/
  3. https://www.agingcare.com/articles/nutrition-tips-for-elderly-health-and-diets-137053.htm
  4. https://medlineplus.gov/nutritionforolderadults.html
  5. https://www.oakstreethealth.com/helpful-tips-on-healthy-eating-for-seniors-864871
  6. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/324514
  7. https://somertonhc.com/food-and-diet-tips-for-healthy-aging/
  8. https://www.ensuremyanmar.com/eng/ensure-powder/
  9. IQVIA, using the ProVoice Survey, fielded 14,459 physicians from January 1, 2021 to December 31, 2021.
  10. Ensure Gold contains protein, Vitamin A, B6, B12, C, D, E, Folate and selenium, copper, zinc and iron, that help support the normal function of the immune system.
  11. Flakoll et al. Nutrition. 2004.